The Best Robot Vacuums of 2016

Unless you have an inexplicable attraction to cleaning your house, this is a generally mundane task. With the rise in popularity of smart autonomous vacuum cleaners, gone will be the days when you used to carry a plastic hose attached to a large bag and drag that thing all over your house. Robot vacuum cleaners are relatively new entrants to this young trend in technology and the result is nothing short of drastic. These are now autonomous and intelligent. The result: today you can clean your home even without moving an inch. Robot vacuum cleaners are equipped with sensors and other necessary specifications to stroll in your house without the need of human intervention. Some of these can even charge by themselves which results to minimal human interaction, unless the units need to be emptied from dirt. Another convenience these devices bring is the absence of a large bag when taking dust in as they use bins which can be easily ejected and re-inserted.

However, robot vacuums are relatively more expensive as opposed to regular ones, so it will be an investment decision to buy these products. These have a good value for money, given their capabilities. Hours saved from cleaning your house, not to mention their compact size which is the best for saving space in your storage room, are only some of the benefits these products can bring to your life.

5. Moneal Rydis H68 Pro Hybrid

Moneal Rydis H68 Pro Hybrid

Probably the only robot vacuum with a remote control in this list, Moneal Rydis H68 Pro Hybrid is also one of the cheapest, at around $240. Its dimensions measure at 13.7 inches in diameter and 3.4 inches in height, weighting 5.9 pounds. This robot vacuum has two threaded wheels which are rubberized and three small plastic rollers on the bottom. Also located there is a compartment containing a removable 2,800mAh lithium-ion phosphate battery. The H68 has two removable side brushes, along with the main brush, cliff detection sensors, a pair of charging terminals and two holes for attaching the mop pad assembly.

The robot’s path when it detects things like walls and furniture is determined through the sensors located at the front edge of the cleaner. On the other hand, its rear has two signal sensors, an AC adapter jack, and a main system power switch. The bin is located at the top and the same portion has a handle and a removable air filter. Lastly, there is an upward-facing camera that maps out the robot’s course.

A control panel containing a Power button, a Cleaning Mode button, and a Stop/Start button is just below the camera. There are several backlit indicators which enable this robot to do a multitude of tasks, including a function which tells to forbid this unit from climbing any block higher than 0.4 inch. Moneal starts cleaning after pressing the reservation button an hour later or if it is programmed to clean at the same time every day. The latter needs to be physically pressed as a prompt to the robot vacuum to start cleaning. However, a user can create a weekly schedule for Moneal.

The 5.5-inch remote has separate buttons for each cleaning mode. You can manually steer the cleaner in order to reach certain spots. Moneal makes a moderate noise as it produces 61 decibels. Another special feature of this robot vacuum is it can mop, by pressing the Hybrid mode. It does not have a virtual wall though, hence, it may go off-course in between doorways. You have to use the remote control or physically interfere with the device to stop that from happening. Its battery life is about 120 minutes. Replenishing its power also takes about 120 minutes. It auto-recharges. However, there are times Moneal fails to return to base before it runs out of juice, thus you may need to physically carry the device for it to recharge. Aside from that, this robot vacuum has some navigation problems as regards to cleaning areas which have an open doorway. Cleaning this device takes about 6 minutes. If you are money sensitive, Moneal Rydis H68 Pro Hybrid will satisfy your needs.

4. bObsweep Pet

bObsweep Pet

The newest version of bObsweep is programmed to clean pet hairs – and it fulfills the task with flying colors. This robot comes in two colors – in scarlet and silver with a faux-leather feel in its top portion. Its dimensions are 12.6 inches in diameter and 3.5 inches in height, which means bobi is small enough to go under furniture. The product has also sensors to prevent it from falling downstairs and destroying wallpapers. The bObi pet has a front wheel and two side wheels for navigation. It has a main brush to do the cleaning and a HEPA filter to prevent allergens from circulating the air. The back portion of bObi pet has a UV light emitter to kill fleas and to reduce emitted odors by breaking the molecules down. Also included is a wireless remote control, some accessories and a user manual.

There are three operation modes. First is the Go mode which is also its default mode of cleaning. The next one is Waffle which is similar with the first function but this only stays within 3 feet from its starting point. Lastly, it automatically turns on Juice mode once its battery goes at 15% to go back to its charging base. The battery life of bObi pet is 120 minutes and it also takes the same time to recharge. Cleaning it takes about 5 minutes which is still fast compared with the other products in the list, due to the inclusion of a cleaning tool. About this, here’s a good joke: “If you are cleaning a vacuum cleaner, you are becoming a vacuum cleaner.”. Get it?

bObi Pet is the quietest one in this list, producing 60 decibels of noise when cleaning. Given that its motors are not that powerful, its small bin serves the purpose of collecting dust. It also means that a user has to empty it after every cleaning, and the same can be said about the HEPA filter. While getting these out is not a problem, pressing the button a couple of times per day wears the product faster. This robovac does its job best with picking up hair and dirt with small strands. Anything larger than those will cause it to malfunction and leave dirt behind.

It is certainly a good device, however, its limited usage and the high price tag of $ 849 dollars are pretty prohibitive.

3. Dyson 360 Eye

Dyson 360 Eye

Perhaps the priciest in this list, the 360 Eye is the first robot vacuum cleaner made by Dyson, and is sold in Japan at the moment for $ 1,200. It has a 360 degrees camera located at the top, which is always monitoring and checking the position. It has also a very human-like cleaning procedure which makes its very keen and efficient in doing its task. The 360 Eye has bristles made from carbon fibers which prevent the dust in clinging with things. Dyson believes that its sucking system is 100 times more powerful than that of its competitors.

Normally, rotating brush systems throw away dust that these pull in but this robot vacuum’s mechanism does not let that happen. 360 Eye also excels in other features, as you can program it using an application from your phone. In that regard, you can schedule as far as a week ahead and this robot vacuum will show you the sketch of your floor this during its work cycle. It can recharge itself while cleaning. A normal sized bedroom took 30 minutes to clean. In case of disposing the dust, it has a see-through compartment for you to know whether it is already full.

2. iRobot Roomba 980

iRobot Roomba 980

This unit is deemed as the best in the iRobot series. You can get it in exchange for a hefty price of $ 899.99. It connects to Wi-Fi enabling the user to control it even without physical contact, through a mobile application. It is 13.8 inches in diameter, 3.6 inches high and weights in at 8.7 pounds. The circular shape comes with a flaw that it will not be able to clean the corners of your room that much. The top view of this device contains the main control buttons in case a user wants to use the product manually. Pressing the Clean button twice will render Roomba 360 to do the programmed task. On the other hand, the Home button renders the unit to return on its charging base and wait for further instructions. The Spot button makes the robot clean a fixed position, which is most useful in disposing spills. Light indicators such as status of Wi-Fi connectivity, charging status and whether the bin is already full are located above the Clean button. The bottom view hosts floor-navigating sensors, two 6.2-inch brushes and a spinning side brush.

Roomba 980 also has two Virtual Walls which are powered by two AA batteries, that prevent this unit from going across doorways or create unnecessary navigation points when it glides from one room to another. Technically, it has a far more advanced function in which a user can program when it will clean and where it will clean. Roomba 980 still continues to brush things even if the dust bin is already full and it activates side cleaning mode which becomes useful in taking care of furniture legs. Cleaning this device is really fast, as it only takes 4 minutes to do so. The sensors enable this robot vacuum cleaner to be self-learning as these keep tracks of areas and objects until it has mapped everything and cleansed the floor. It has a battery life of 2 hours. Of course, it will go back to its charging base once its battery goes low. Recharging Roomba 980 takes about 180 minutes. However, its features might be smart but Roomba 980 cannot pick up trash which is larger than a cat food pellet. Remote control does not exist, despite the high price tag. Lastly, this product is relatively noisy, as it produces about 78 decibels when cleaning a room. Regardless, Roomba 980 is one of the best products you can buy in the market.

1. Neato Botvac Connected

Neato Botvac Connected

Neato Botvac Connected might be less advanced than the Dyson 360 eye or iRobot Roomba 960, but it has the best value for money in this batch of robot vacuum cleaners. This product is almost $ 250 dollars cheaper than Roomba 980, but is at par in terms of cleaning abilities and remains more powerful in picking up larger pieces of trash.

The Botvac has a shape similar to letter D, which is far more useful in cleaning corners. The back end is the only part which is curved and this also contains an exhaust vent and two metal strips intended to replenish its battery power when it positions itself in its charging base. Its dimensions are 3.9 by 12.7 by 13.2 inches, being height, width and length respectively. Botvac’s smaller size comes advantageous. Located on the top part of it are a 1.7-by-1.7-inch LCD panel, four programming buttons and 2 large buttons: Home and Spot Clean. Basically, the front buttons are what the user presses in order to make this device work. Whenever a user needs to carry this device, a handle on its front part makes it portable from a room to another.

The bottom part of this BotVac contains a single 10.9-inch brush/blade combo roller, left and right drop sensors that prevent it from falling down stairs, two main wheels that help it drive, and a spinning side brush. It lasts from 90-120 minutes depending on the cleaning mode you set. When a user is ready to clean, all he has to do is press the aforementioned Play icon in the app, or press the Home button on the Botvac itself. It is advisable to move all the large objects of the floor first, as they will slow the cleaning process .

Botvac starts in default mode, as it moves in parallel lines, cleaning everything in its path. It has also Spot mode which is similar with the Roomba 980. The Botvac is slightly quieter than the Roomba 980, producing about 76 decibels. It takes just a few minutes to clean this robot vacuum. Suction power is much higher, as it can clean dirt as big as a pet food. If you are keen for products with a decent price/quality ratio, Neato BotVac Connected is perfect for you.

Maybe it’s the right time to upgrade your vacuum cleaner, or to try something new for this Spring Cleaning. What are your thoughts on buying a robovac?

2 COMMENTS

IMO, the difference between the 980 and 880 is big enough to worth the upgrade. A completely new moving algorithm, the possibility to connect it with your phone and the various feature improvements make the 980 far better than its older brother.